US11147396B2 - Display shelf system - Google Patents

Abstract

A display shelf system includes mounting support members that hook onto a rail that attaches to a display cabinet.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application claims the benefit of prior U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/716,322 filed on Aug. 8, 2018, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a display shelf system for commercial items, for example, bottles in a refrigerated display case.

BACKGROUND

Refrigerated display cabinets can be configured to sell refrigerated items.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, a display shelf system can include an open front shelf, the shelf including a bottom panel, a right side panel, a left side panel, a top panel, and a back region, the open front shelf including a front lip portion adjacent to the open front, and a pair of mounting support members secured to the back region of the open front shelf. Each support member can include a top hook portion adjacent to the top panel and having a first depth region extending away from the back region and a catch region extending downward toward the bottom panel and a bottom support portion having a second depth region extending away from the back region adjacent to the bottom panel. The system can include a rail including a first latching region and a second latching region, wherein the rail has a top edge, a bottom edge and a length separating the first latching region and the second latching region, the top hook portion fitting over the top edge with the bottom support portion extending beyond the bottom edge.

In another aspect, a display shelf can include an open front shelf, the shelf including a bottom panel, a right side panel, a left side panel, a top panel, and a back region, the open front shelf including a front lip portion adjacent to the open front, and a pair of mounting support members secured to the back region of the open front shelf. Each support member can include a top hook portion adjacent to the top panel and having a first depth region extending away from the back region and a catch region extending downward toward the bottom panel. The shelf can include a bottom support portion that can have a second depth region extending away from the back region adjacent to the bottom panel.

In certain circumstances, the second depth region of the bottom support portion can be adjustable.

In certain circumstances, the length of the rail can be adjustable.

In certain circumstances, the first latching region and the second latching region each can include a fixed top hooked portion and a bottom hooked portion.

In certain circumstances, the bottom hooked portion can be adjustable relative to the fixed top hooked portion.

In certain circumstances, the front lip portion can cover less than half of the open front.

In certain circumstances, open front can angle toward the back region from the bottom panel to the top panel.

In certain circumstances, the bottom panel can include a cushioned surface.

In certain circumstances, a portion of the shelf can be a metal.

In certain circumstances, a portion of the shelf can be a plastic.

The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a front perspective view of a display shelf.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of a display shelf.

FIG. 3 illustrates a rear perspective view of a display shelf.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of a display shelf.

FIG. 5 illustrates a rear perspective view of a display shelf.

FIG. 6 illustrates a top perspective view of a display shelf.

FIG. 7 illustrates a view of a display shelf and a support rail.

FIG. 8 illustrates a view of an end of a support rail.

FIG. 9 illustrates a view of a support rail mounted in a cabinet.

FIG. 10 illustrates a view of an end of a support rail.

FIG. 11 illustrates a front perspective view of a display shelf.

FIG. 12 illustrates a front view of a display shelf.

FIG. 13 illustrates a right side view of a display shelf.

FIG. 14 illustrates a left side view of a display shelf.

FIG. 15 illustrates a top view of a display shelf.

FIG. 16 illustrates a rear view of a display shelf.

FIG. 17 illustrates a bottom view of a display shelf.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Display cabinets, such as refrigerated display cabinets, contain shelving units to display content. These shelves can hold objects on top of the shelf only. The display shelf system described herein has a top that can support items placed on the unit as a shelf and an enclosed bottom section configured to hold additional items. Specifically, the bottom section has an opening in the front and a lip that constrains the contents of the bottom section in the enclosed bottom section. In certain embodiments, the contents of the bottom section are bottles, for example, bottles of champagne.

Referring toFIGS. 1-10, adisplay shelf100 can include an openfront shelf102.Shelf102 can have abottom panel104, aright side panel106, aleft side panel108, atop panel110, and aback region112. The openfront shelf102 can include afront lip portion114 adjacent to theopen front102.Display shelf100 includes a pair ofmounting support members200,202.Support members200,202 are secured to theback region112 of theopen front shelf102.

Each ofbottom panel104,right side panel106,left side panel108,top panel110, andback region112, independently, can be a solid planar surface or a solid planar surface with one or more openings.

Eachsupport member200 or202 can include atop hook portion204 or206 adjacent totop panel110.Top hook portion204 or206 can have afirst depth region220 or222 extending away fromback region112 and acatch region224 or226 extending downward towardbottom panel104.

Eachsupport member200 or202 can include abottom support portion230 or234 having asecond depth region232 or236 extending away fromback region112 adjacent tobottom panel104.

The display shelf can be part of a display shelf system. The components of the system includedisplay shelf100 andrail300. The shelf and rail, together, can be used to form the functioning display shelf for use in a display case.

Referring toFIGS. 1-10,rail300 can include afirst latching region301 and asecond latching region305. Rail300 has atop edge310, abottom edge312 and a length L separating thefirst latching region301 and thesecond latching region305. Thetop hook portion220 or222 of each respective top hook portion fits over thetop edge310 with thebottom support portion232 or236 of each respective bottom support portion extends beyond thebottom edge312. This arrangement provides support for the shelf by creating a cantilevered configuration of contact points when the shelf is mounted on the rail on a surface of, for example, a display cabinet.

Referring toFIGS. 4 and 5,bottom support portion232 or236 can include anadjustable foot280 or282. The adjustable foot can be used to modify the length of the bottom support portion to accommodate different cabinet configurations.

Referring toFIGS. 8 and 10, length L ofrail300 can be adjustable. For example, a securable slidingregion400 can allow length L to be adjusted so that the shelf system can be used in different cabinet configurations.

Referring toFIGS. 1-4, 7 and 10, thefirst latching region301 and thesecond latching region305 can each include a fixed top hookedportion302 and a bottom hookedportion304. In certain embodiments, the bottom hookedportion304 can be adjustable relative to the fixed top hookedportion304 using slots andscrews340 to fix the position of bottom hookedportion304.

In certain embodiments, the front lip portion covers less than half of the open front. This configuration holds bottles inside the shelf. The shelf can accommodate up to 10 bottles of, for example, champagne. Thus, the display shelf can accommodate weight inside and on top of the shelf. The load tolerance of the shelf can be up to 60 pounds. For example, the weight one champagne bottle can be about 3.5 lbs. When the shelf is loaded with six bottles weighs approximately 21 lbs. If the shelf is also carrying a floral arrangement, the additional weight is about 10 lbs per floral arrangement. Thus, the shelf can hold, for example, up to four floral arrangements and six champagne bottles. The weight of the shelf without additional load can be about 25 lbs.

In certain embodiments, the open front angles toward the back region from the bottom panel to the top panel. This structure allows for more direct access to the contents in the shelf, which can facilitate loading and unloading of materials from the interior portion of the shelf.

In certain embodiments, the bottom panel can include a cushioned surface. The cushioned surface can reduce rattling of bottles and reduce breakage. The cushioned surface can be a rubber material or thin polymeric foam material.

In certain embodiments, the components of the shelf can be made of a metal, a plastic, or combinations thereof.

Each panel can be in the shape of a square, hexagon, rectangle, triangle, parallelogram, rhombus, or any suitable polygon.

In some embodiments, the rail is configured to attach to a mounting system in a refrigerated cabinet. The mounting system can be an adjustable shelving system having a track with periodic grooves to engage hooks from the rail latching region. The track can have slots at regular intervals. The adjustable shelving system can have two or more vertical tracks. The length of the rail between the first latching region and the second latching region can optionally be adjusted to match the vertical tracks in the refrigerated cabinet. For example, referring toFIGS. 9 and 10, the hooks of the latching region can engage ingrooves510 oftrack500.

Referring toFIGS. 11-17, various views of the display shelf are shown.

While the invention has been shown and explained in the embodiment described herein, it is to be understood that the invention should not be confined to the exact showing of the drawings, and that any variations, substitutions, and modifications are intended to be comprehended within the spirit of the invention. Other embodiments are within the claims.

Claims (12)

What is claimed is:

1. A display shelf system comprising:

an open front shelf, the shelf including a bottom panel, a right side panel, a left side panel, a top panel, and a back region, the open front shelf including a front lip portion adjacent to the open front, wherein the front lip portion covers less than half of the open front, wherein the bottom panel includes a cushioned surface;

a pair of mounting support members secured to the back region of the open front shelf, each support member including:

a top hook portion adjacent to the top panel and having a first depth region extending away from the back region and a catch region extending downward toward the bottom panel;

a bottom support portion having a second depth region extending away from the back region adjacent to the bottom panel and a foot portion extending toward the top hook portion; and

an adjustable foot on the foot portion, wherein the second depth region of the bottom support portion is adjustable via the adjustable foot; and

a rail including a first latching region and a second latching region, wherein the rail has a top edge, a bottom edge and an adjustable length separating the first latching region and the second latching region, the top hook portion fitting over the top edge with the bottom support portion extending beyond the bottom edge.

2. The display shelf system ofclaim 1, wherein the first latching region and the second latching region each include a fixed top hooked portion and a bottom hooked portion.

3. The display shelf system ofclaim 2, wherein the bottom hooked portion is adjustable relative to the fixed top hooked portion.

4. The display shelf system ofclaim 1, wherein the top panel is a load-bearing shelf.

5. The display shelf system ofclaim 1, wherein open front angles toward the back region from the bottom panel to the top panel.

6. The display shelf system ofclaim 1, comprising a metal.

7. The display shelf system ofclaim 1, comprising a plastic.

8. A display shelf comprising:

an open front shelf, the shelf including a bottom panel, a right side panel, a left side panel, a top panel, and a back region, the open front shelf including a front lip portion adjacent to the open front, wherein the front lip portion covers less than half of the open front;

a pair of mounting support members secured to the back region of the open front shelf, each support member including:

a top hook portion adjacent to the top panel and having a first depth region extending away from the back region and a catch region extending downward toward the bottom panel; and

a bottom support portion having a second depth region extending away from the back region adjacent to the bottom panel and a foot portion extending toward the top hook portion;

an adjustable foot on the foot portion, wherein the second depth region of the bottom support portion is adjustable via the adjustable foot.

9. The display shelf ofclaim 8, wherein open front angles toward the back region from the bottom panel to the top panel.

10. The display shelf ofclaim 8, wherein the bottom panel includes a cushioned surface.

11. The display shelf ofclaim 8, comprising a metal.

12. The display shelf ofclaim 8, comprising a plastic.

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